SAFETY IN SCIENCEProfessional Expectations and Teacher Liability

Outline Overview of Regulations: OSHA Professional Expectations & Teacher

Liability Best Practices for the Laboratory

Reducing/Sharing Liability Teaching Strategies

Departmental Safety

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health

Administration Protects faculty and staff, not students. Safety guidelines are pertinent for

everyone! Two regulations:

HAZCOM “Lab Standard”

Laboratory Standard Scope and Application (all science

teachers) Exposure Limits Chemical Hygiene Plan and Operating

Procedures Employee Training Hazard Identification Establishes minimum requirements for

effective safety program.

Teacher Expectations Teachers are trained and licensed

professionals. Teachers are responsible for determining if the

lab is safe for students (not administrators). Teachers are to have taken every possible

action to prevent an accident from occurring. Teachers should adhere to the prudent safety

practices acceptable in the profession.

Teacher Expectations Duty of Care: Teachers are to protect

students from unreasonable risk or harm. Science teachers are responsible for all

employees that come in contact with laboratory hazards in their classrooms and laboratories.

Professional Expectations: NSTA, ACS, and other content area organizations

Teacher Liability Concerns Chemicals should not be stored in classrooms

except when being used. You are responsible for your room even when

you aren’t in it. A teacher and school district were

successfully sued when a janitor let two students into a classroom.

Substitute teachers: should remove chemicals and avoid labs without prior arrangements.

You are responsible for faculty and staff that may enter your classroom.

Best Practice in The LaboratoryStrategies for Student Safety and Teacher Liability

Best Practice in the Laboratory Safety should be the commitment of

every student and teacher. If it might happen, it will eventually

happen. Shared Liability – from department (and

CHP) Establish a pattern of safety within your

classroom!

Laboratory Safety Training Good: Provide a safety test that students

must pass regarding the training. Better: Safety test and safety drills as

part of the training. Best: Continue to review and perform

drills throughout the year.

Safety Documents Safety Contracts/Agreements are not

enforceable. Safety Acknowledgement Document:

Places student and parent on notice of the inherent risks in the lab and warns of dangers.

If parent refuses to sign, establish a record (e-mail or phone log) and sign and date form with a note.

Safety Documents Good: Maintain signed safety forms for

the entire year. Best: Maintain signed safety forms for

the time the student is enrolled in the school.

The statute of limitations for negligence in most states is 3 years.

Safety Assessment Good: Provide safety test that all

students must pass. Better: All students pass with 90%. Best: All students pass with 90% and

safety questions are included on tests/quizzes throughout the year.

Lesson Plans Every lab should have a lesson plan. Lesson plans are legal documents. Take

advantage of this! Good: Note that “relevant safety info was

reviewed” Best: Note the exact safety information

reviewed and include a copy of MSDS for all chemicals.

Pre-Lab Assignments Consider the following:

Have students research MSDS information to find chemical concerns. Review these together.

Have students draw flow charts of the lab procedure. This forces them to read in more detail and to visualize the experiment (literacy strategy!)

Departmental SafetyStatus and Future Goals

Training and Resources December meeting: Safety Protocols

Safety Topics

Safety Resources on P drive in Science Folder

Chemical Storeroom Organization of Equipment Chemical Inventory and Tracking New Safety Equipment Acid Cabinet Labeling System (new label maker!)

Mission Accomplished! Chemical Inventory: ~2/3 completed Storeroom Organization: Solutions

Equipment Equipment:

Pipet holder and pipetters Mercury-free barometer

Stock Solutions: 3M HCl & NaOH

Future Plans Fall 2009:

Complete storeroom inventory Acid cabinet and safety equipment

Spring 2010: Inventory management protocols Complete chemical inventory Finish database

Fall 2010: Digital MSDS library Spring 2011: Completion of Chemical

Hygiene Plan Fall 2011: Implement CHP

Resources Check the new P drive for new resources

soon. Flinn Scientific – MSDS search NSTA – position statements and books ACS – several free articles and

publications

References American Chemical Society. Chemical Safety for

Teachers and Their Supervisors. Washington, D.C. American Chemical Society, 2001.

Roy, Kenneth. “Safer Science Seminar.” Indianapolis, 2009.

Roy, Kenneth. The NSTA Ready-Reference Guide to Safer Science. Arlington: NSTA Press, 2007.